Episodes

  • No Finish Line: How IndyCar Legend Sam Schmidt Turned Paralysis Into Purpose

    No Finish Line: How IndyCar Legend Sam Schmidt Turned Paralysis Into Purpose
    Apr 29 2026
    Ep. 261: Just months after winning his first IndyCar race, Sam Schmidt hit a wall at nearly 200 miles per hour during preseason testing. He was paralyzed from the neck down at 35 years old. Doctors told his wife he wouldn't make it through the night. Twenty five years later, Sam has co-founded championship racing teams, driven a car at 107 miles per hour using only his head, stood in an exoskeleton to dance with his daughter on her wedding day, and built a foundation helping thousands of others get the rehabilitation they would never otherwise receive. In No Finish Line, his new memoir—which I had the honor of co-authoring with him—Sam shows what resilience looks like when life refuses to follow the script. ——— Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/ Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.
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    46 mins
  • Dutch Bros CEO Christine Barone says: It's not about being the most valuable player. It's about creating the most valuable team.

    Dutch Bros CEO Christine Barone says: It's not about being the most valuable player. It's about creating the most valuable team.
    Apr 22 2026

    Ep. 260: The Harvard water polo co-captain, who had never played the sport before joining the team,now leads one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in the countrywith the same philosophy that earned her that captaincy: it's not about being the most valuable player. It's about creating the most valuable team.

    In this episode, you will learn:

    • Why the "zone of discomfort" is where real leadership growth happens

    • How to set goals just beyond what seems possible—and why trust makes them achievable

    • Why the jobs we don't like are often the ones with the most to teach us

    Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

    Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

    Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.
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    40 mins
  • Calero President & CRO Eric Martorano says: Data tells you what's happening, stories tell you why it matters.

    Calero President & CRO Eric Martorano says: Data tells you what's happening, stories tell you why it matters.
    Apr 15 2026
    Ep. 259: After a decade at Microsoft where he was responsible for more than $17 billion in revenue, Eric used lessons from the baseball field—failure, resilience, and belief—to build award-winning cultures at Nextiva, Accordo, and Calero. You will learn: • Why people commit to stories—not spreadsheets • How to build belief in your team after failure • Why clarity—not control—is the foundation of great leadership Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights. Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/ Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.
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    43 mins
  • TruGreen CEO Kurt Kane says: To elevate your game, stop protecting your spot and start improving it.

    TruGreen CEO Kurt Kane says: To elevate your game, stop protecting your spot and start improving it.
    Apr 8 2026
    Ep. 258: Former Wendy's U.S. President and now CEO of the nation's largest lawn care company, Kurt Kane, shares a powerful truth: "We are the leaders we've been waiting for." In this episode, you will learn:
    • Why protecting your position can hold back your growth
    • How great leaders use questions to focus an entire organization
    • The power of simplifying complexity to drive results Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights. Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started:https://books.forbes.com/don/ Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.
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    52 mins
  • The Film Room: 5 Ways to Make Your Processes More Efficient

    The Film Room: 5 Ways to Make Your Processes More Efficient
    Apr 1 2026

    What if your biggest leadership problem isn't results—but process? In this new mini series, we break down lessons from leaders at Ritz-Carlton, Aflac, and more who transformed performance by refining the details.

    In this episode you will learn how to identify friction, improve systems, and build repeatable excellence.

    To listen to each guest's FULL episode click below:

    • Lumen's Kate Johnson

    • Ritz-Carlton's Horst Schulze

    • Perspire Sauna Studios' Caroline Linton

    • T-Mobile's Cameron Janes

    • Aflac's Virgil Miller

    Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

    Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

    Special thanks to Guillermo Orellana for making this episode possible.
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    28 mins
  • Gas South President & CEO Kevin Greiner says: Sometimes the best deal is the one you don't make.

    Gas South President & CEO Kevin Greiner says: Sometimes the best deal is the one you don't make.
    Mar 25 2026

    Ep. 256: What if culture isn't built by slogans, but by what you reward? In this episode, you will learn:

    • How Kevin makes values account for 50% of performance on his team

    • When walking away from a deal is the smartest move a leader can make

    • Why calm leadership matters

    Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

    Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

    Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

    Special thanks to Johnathan Levin and Vincent McClellan for making this episode possible.
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    45 mins
  • 2-Time NBA Champion Shane Battier on the Secret to Winning: Study the Competition's Weakness

    2-Time NBA Champion Shane Battier on the Secret to Winning: Study the Competition's Weakness
    Mar 18 2026

    Ep. 255: The original "No-Stat All-Star" won Teammate of The Year playing alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Here he teaches you why being selfless and studying your opponent are the two secrets to success.

    Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

    Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started:https://books.forbes.com/don/

    Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

    Special thanks to Johnny Levin and Guillermo Orellana for making this episode possible.
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    47 mins
  • Gallagher Insurance Executive Shannon Gallagher on Mentorship That Works

    Gallagher Insurance Executive Shannon Gallagher on Mentorship That Works
    Mar 11 2026

    Ep. 254: A black eye in her first Cornell rugby match taught Shannon she could do hard things—and that lesson still shapes her leadership today. A four-time New York City Marathon finisher, she believes leadership isn't about forcing people into the same mold.

    Like rugby, every role matters, every player brings strengths, and every stride counts.

    Don't miss:

    • The two questions she asks every mentee

    • Why joy and laughter belong in leadership

    • Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes Don's favorite quotes from today's episode and a reflection question so you can apply today's insights.

    📚Do you want to write a book? In my new role as Publisher at Forbes Books and with the incredible resources and expertise of their team, we're making it easier than ever to help YOU to tell your story. Send us a message here to get started: https://books.forbes.com/don/

    🎤Looking for a speaker for your next event? From more than 30 years of interviewing and studying the greatest winners of all time Don offers these live and virtual presentations built to inspire your team towards personal and professional greatness.

    Special thanks to Chase Nagel and Karson Hills for making this episode possible.
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    38 mins